Advertisement
UK markets open in 4 hours 50 minutes
  • NIKKEI 225

    41,005.78
    +92.13 (+0.23%)
     
  • HANG SENG

    18,058.73
    +30.45 (+0.17%)
     
  • CRUDE OIL

    83.83
    -0.05 (-0.06%)
     
  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,369.40
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • DOW

    39,308.00
    -23.90 (-0.06%)
     
  • Bitcoin GBP

    44,566.00
    -1,263.92 (-2.76%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    1,194.03
    -67.15 (-5.32%)
     
  • NASDAQ Composite

    18,188.30
    +159.54 (+0.88%)
     
  • UK FTSE All Share

    4,497.97
    +34.88 (+0.78%)
     

Here's Why MRC Global (NYSE:MRC) Has Caught The Eye Of Investors

The excitement of investing in a company that can reverse its fortunes is a big draw for some speculators, so even companies that have no revenue, no profit, and a record of falling short, can manage to find investors. But the reality is that when a company loses money each year, for long enough, its investors will usually take their share of those losses. A loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the inflow of external capital may dry up.

So if this idea of high risk and high reward doesn't suit, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like MRC Global (NYSE:MRC). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide MRC Global with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.

View our latest analysis for MRC Global

MRC Global's Improving Profits

In business, profits are a key measure of success; and share prices tend to reflect earnings per share (EPS) performance. Which is why EPS growth is looked upon so favourably. Commendations have to be given in seeing that MRC Global grew its EPS from US$0.31 to US$1.07, in one short year. While it's difficult to sustain growth at that level, it bodes well for the company's outlook for the future.

ADVERTISEMENT

It's often helpful to take a look at earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins, as well as revenue growth, to get another take on the quality of the company's growth. The music to the ears of MRC Global shareholders is that EBIT margins have grown from 3.4% to 5.6% in the last 12 months and revenues are on an upwards trend as well. That's great to see, on both counts.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

earnings-and-revenue-history
earnings-and-revenue-history

While we live in the present moment, there's little doubt that the future matters most in the investment decision process. So why not check this interactive chart depicting future EPS estimates, for MRC Global?

Are MRC Global Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It should give investors a sense of security owning shares in a company if insiders also own shares, creating a close alignment their interests. So it is good to see that MRC Global insiders have a significant amount of capital invested in the stock. To be specific, they have US$28m worth of shares. This considerable investment should help drive long-term value in the business. While their ownership only accounts for 3.1%, this is still a considerable amount at stake to encourage the business to maintain a strategy that will deliver value to shareholders.

Is MRC Global Worth Keeping An Eye On?

MRC Global's earnings per share have been soaring, with growth rates sky high. That sort of growth is nothing short of eye-catching, and the large investment held by insiders should certainly brighten the view of the company. The hope is, of course, that the strong growth marks a fundamental improvement in the business economics. Based on the sum of its parts, we definitely think its worth watching MRC Global very closely. Now, you could try to make up your mind on MRC Global by focusing on just these factors, or you could also consider how its price-to-earnings ratio compares to other companies in its industry.

The beauty of investing is that you can invest in almost any company you want. But if you prefer to focus on stocks that have demonstrated insider buying, here is a list of companies with insider buying in the last three months.

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.